What influences an individual's politics?

[kepstein8888]

Is there something in your upbringing, way of thinking, experience, environment, social class, or something else that has influenced your politics? Do you have any theories about what makes other people the way they are politically?

What makes a conservative? What makes a liberal? What makes a libertarian? What makes "none of the above"?

[KHBaker]

For me, I was influenced by what I read, beginning in my pre-teen years. But underneath that was a worldview that made me analyse what I read and decide "that's right" or "that's wrong." I suspect it's like that for most people. That underlying worldview is what Thomas Sowell calls a "social vision" defined as a 'pre-analytic cognitive act.' It is what we sense or feel before we have constructed any systematic reasoning that could be called a theory, much less deduced any specific consequences as a hypothesis to be tested against evidence. Sowell goes on to say that such visions are crucial because they are the foundations on which theories get built, but: The final structure depends not only on the foundation, but also on how carefully and consistently the framework of theory is constructed and how well buttressed it is with hard facts.
So as I grew up I looked at how well my political beliefs corresponded to reality. For example, could I accurately predict the outcome of certain legislation, or was I surprised by its success or failure?

[Mullanaphy]

For me it was based on how I viewed the world and the interactions with those around me.

Since I have good faith in the potential of the human species I feel they should have more freedoms to advance our race. Also have a big distrust for governments as they can become quite bloated and build monopolies that cannot directly be dismantled.

So the people that helped influence where people like Jefferson and his views on humanity as they were inline with mine. Hence, I'm a libertarian.

Also the other thing that really influenced me politically is that I view the world as a mixture of black\white and gray. Some of my friends see the world as only black\white and usually end up being conservatives, then I have others that think that the world can't ever be black\white and only gray who seem to become democrats. Believe both to be flawed and too narrow minded.

Lastly, my problems with conservatives\republicans are that they seem to be too rigid. My problems with communists\socialists\democrats is that a lot of them seem extremely pessimist\cynical about humanity and\or extremely optimistic about a centralized governing entity.

[rwm4768]

Interestingly, I'm planning on writing a 20 or so page research paper on this topic in one of my political science classes. I haven't done any of the research yet, so I can't really tell you anything.

But speculation is always fun.

There have been a few threads about how there actually seems to be a relationship between MBTI and political affiliation. N's are more liberal than S's. F's are more liberal than T's (big surprise there). P's are also generally more liberal than J's. Thus, according to this, as INTJs, our N make us liberal while our T and J make us conservative. I think that is why we have a lot of libertarians. Personally, I would consider myself a libertarian (but not a Libertarian).

Other factors that can influence political affiliation are parent political affiliation, economic status, minority status, gender status, etc. Where you live can also have a major effect (i.e. Urban vs Rural vs Suburban/Region of Country/U.S. vs Europe).

It would be interesting to revisit this this topic once I finish my research.

[Amphorian]

It definitly was my unbringing and reasoning ability. In the end I reasoned against most of what I was taught for it made no sense to me. I believe though most end up following their parents beliefs without much questioning. That is what irks me the most when coming across others. If you've done you're research, rationally went about why things work this way or that and come to a conclusion (even if it is different then mine) and respect others beliefs then I'll be happy to have a discussion with you. ^_^

But personally I'm a liberal independent.

[Pachystima]

For me it was partly based on my upbringing, partly on education and a lot on experience. My work has ranged from blue collar labor and skilled trades to "pointy headed intellectual". I have been at various times a liberal, a labor Democrat, an independent and a conservative (but not what the Republicans presently call conservatism) always with an overlay of libertarianism. At present, after over 50 years of voting and over 70 years of being alive, I consider myself to be a conservative libertarian. I don't think I have arrived at my views just because I'm an old fart; it has more to do with the experiences I have had.

Basically, I am opposed to any significant concentration of power. The more dispersed the power structure is, the better.

RANT FOLLOWS

I instinctively distrust large government but also distrust corporations, the military, churches and any other concentration of money and clout. I fail to see any significant difference between the machinations of large government and large churches, corporations or the military; none of them are particularly interested in the welfare of the common man. They are all self-interested bureaucracies.

I am of the opinion that our nation would be much improved if all lobbyists were taken to a remote part of Virginia and shot: I would also randomly choose about 1/3 of congress and do the same (:) kidding but just barely). I would impose a progressive tax on corporate profits in an effort to help keep them small, lean, competitive and anti-monopolistic. I would encourage small businesses and family farms. I would reduce our military to a level that is necessary only to defend our agreed-upon national interests and would remove any tax-exempt status that churches presently enjoy.

I would also make every effort to ensure completely equal opportunity (not outcome) for all. At present we have a two tier system with those in the Prep School/Ivy League track having a major leg up, often from birth, over the public school/state university types in just about everything even though there is relatively little/no, difference in competence (I'm sure the Ivy league folks won't agree) . The Ivy league is way over represented in all concentrations of power except perhaps the military.

I do not agree that economic efficiency should be the sole criterion for judging either policy or success.

I realize that this does not sound like the current definition of conservative. The dictionary I have handy provides the following as a definition of conservative:

a. Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
b. Traditional or restrained in style: a conservative dark suit.
c. Moderate; cautious: a conservative estimate.
d. Tending to conserve; preservative: the conservative use of natural resources

Emphases are mine. I left out membership in a Conservative party because it does not necessarily mean conservative.

I believe I can defend most of my views above as conservatism (except for the executions; I'm actually opposed to capital punishment) but it is a topic for another thread.